Can package unloading machine



Feb. 27, 1962 1. N. VINCENT ETAL 3,022,913

CAN PACKAGE UNLOADING MACHINE Filed Dec. lO, 1958 5 Shee'cs-Sheei'I 1 Feb. 27, 1962 J, vlNcENT ETAL v l3,022,913

CAN APACKAGE UNLOADING MACHINE Venier Feb. 27, 1962 .1. N. VINCENT ETAL 3,022,913

CAN PACKAGE UNLOADING MACHINE Filed Dec. 1o, 195e 5 sheets-sheet s TUE- i Elrl'.

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Feb. 27, 1962 Filed Dec. lO, 1958 J. N. VINCENT ETAL CAN PACKAGE UNLOADING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb- 27, 1962 J. N. VINCENT ETAL 3,022,913

CAN PACKAGE UNLOADING MACHINE Filed Dec. lO, 1958 5 sheets-sheet 5 JWMM, M; @i

United States Patent @hace 3,22,9l3 Patented Feb. 27, 1962 York Filed Dec. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 779,481 11 Claims. (Cl. 214-310) In the can handling art, for emptying packages of cans, in which the cans are disposed row-beside-row in a sing-le layer, in paper bags or other wrappers, it has been proposed to (1) advance the packages over a means which removes the bottoms of the wrappers; (2) then advance the thus opened packages over a can receiving hopper or blender into which the cans fall by gravity and from which the cans discharge to a roll-away conveyor or the like usually extending to a can closing machine; and (3) then further advance the emptied wrappers for discharge fromthe machine. The present invention has aimed to improve upon such machine.

One object of the invention has been to provide an improved machine having novel means for extracting any cans which may lodge in the wrappers as the cans are being emptied from said wrappers.

A further object has been to provide means for collapsing the emptied wrappers and ejecting them from the machine to be disposed of as waste.

Another object has been to provide a novel machine in which no cans in otherwise emptied wrappers, can reach the empty wrapper ejecting means and become damaged or ruined thereby.

Yet another object has been to makenovel provision whereby the can wrappers actuate control means, for upwardly moving the can extracting means into each wrapper being emptied, when the leading wall of the wrapper passes the path of said extracting means, and for moving said extracting means again downwardly before the trailing wall of the wrapper can strike it.

A further object has been to provide a novel means to rapidly and smoothly conduct the cans from the receiving hopper to the roll-away conveyor or the like.

A still further object has been to provide a chute having a declined trackway down which the cans roll to the roll-away conveyor or the like, the lower end portion of said trackway being formed by ilexible spring-tightened cables which may downwardly yield under abnormal pressure from the cans and thus avoid choking of the chute outlet. i A

Yet another object has been to provide substantially vVertical belt means spaced upwardly from the aforesaid cables to conne and guide the cans and aid in smoothly moving them to the chute outlet.

With vthe above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a can package opening and unloading machine improved in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 s a rear end view of the machine.

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing a number of the elements of the machine and the driving means therefor.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the chute and associated elements for delivering the cans to the roll-away conveyor or the like.

FIGURE 5 is an end elevation of FIGURE 4, as indicated by the arrow 5.

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal section on line 6-6 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal section on line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURES 8, 9 and 10 are diagrams showing the op eration of the can extracting means.

FIGURES 11 and 12 are diagrams showing the extracting means and the wrapper controlled switches for effecting operation thereof.

FIGURE 13 is a diagram showing the operation means for the extractor and the switch controlled circuit for causing actuation thereof.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine of the construction shown in the U.S. patent application Serial Number 779,482 of John N. Vincent, led December l0, 1958. The machine is generally illustrated in FIGURES l to 3. It includes a frame structure 15 having parallel Vertical side frames 16. Mounted in one end portion of the frame 15 there is a longitudinal conveyor belt 17 trained around rollers one of which is shown at 1S. This belt has a horizontal upper reach 19 upon which an attendant successively places the packages to be opened.

In the other end portion of the frame 15, there is a hopper 2d for receiving the cans discharging from the opened wrappers. It is with this hopper that some elements of the present invention are associated.

Between the belt 17 and the hopper 20, a means 21 is mounted in the frame 15 for removing the bottom of each package advanced over said means by the belt reach 19. The means 21 includes a ixed knife 22 and two rotary cutting disks 23 connected at 24 with an electric motor 25.

Two longitudinal belts l26 and 27 are provided to engage opposite sides of the packages before they leave vthe belt reach 19, guide said packages over the bottom removing means 21, and then move the opened packages over the hopper 20, allowing the cans to fall by gravity into said hopper.

The belt 26 is trained around rollers, one of which is shown at 26a in FIGURE 3, providing this belt with a package-engaging reach 26b disposed in a vertical plane. Similarly, the belt 27 is trained around rollers 27a and 27b, providing this belt with a vertical reach 27C. The two reaches 2Gb and 27C are in spaced parallel relation for contact with opposite sides of each package.

The rollers have shafts and those of the rollers 26a and 27a are shown at 30, mounted in bearings 31. The upper ends of the shafts 30 have sprockets 32 driven by a chain 33 from a sprocket 34 on a vertical shaft 35. A

bevel gear couple 36 connects the shaft 35 with a shaft 37 which is belt-connected at 38 with a motor 39. The chain 33 passes around an idler 4d.

The ro-ller 18 for the vbelt 17 is chain-connected at 41 with a transverse shaft 42 having a gear 43 which is driven by one of the gears of the couple 36. The motor 25 thus drives the three belts I7, Z6 and 27.

A. suction box 44 is stationarily mounted in the frame 15 over and to one side of the hopper 20': and said suction box includes a vertical wall 45 contacting with the outer side of the belt reach 26h. This wall 45 is apertured at 46 (FIGURE 3), the belt 26 is apertured at 47, and the two sets of apertures are communicable.

The suction box 44 is connected with a suction conduit 48 (FIGURE l) extending to a fan which exhausts air from said suction box, thereby causing one vertical wall of each opened package to be suction-held against the belt reach 2Gb. This supports each opened Wrapper against falling into the hopper Ztl during discharge of cans from said wrapper. The belt reach 27C acts to prevent canting or tilting of the wrapper but does not force the wrapper wall which it engages toward the reach 26b, as such forcing would grip the cans and interfere with gravity discharge thereof from the wrapper.

According to the present invention, vertical pinch rolls 49 and'St) are mounted on the frame 15 to receive and lcollapse the emptied package wrappers and eject them from the machine. The roll 49 has a sprocket 51 driven by one reach of the chain 33 and said roll 49: drives the roll 50` by means of friction wheels 52. Converging wings, one of which is shown at 53 in FIGURE l, guide the emptied wrappers to the rolls 49 and 50.

' Novel provision is made for extracting any cans which may become lodged in the wrappers instead of dropping by gravity into the hopper 2t). Also, an improved discharge chute is provided for the hopper and novel provision is made to prevent choking at the chute outlet.

The delivery chute from the hopper 20' is generally designated 54. Its location is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 and its structure is illustrated in FIGURES 4 to 7. Two parallel vertical plates 55 form side walls for the chute 54 and are secured by brackets 56 to transverse bars 57 which are secured to the side frames 16. The inner sides of the plates 5S are ilush with the inner sides of the hopper side walls 58.

The bottom of the chute 54 is formed by a trackway which declines to the delivery outlet 59y of said chute. The upper end portion of this trackway is formed by parallel rails 6G and the lower end portion of said trackway is formed by parallel exible cables 61. Brackets 62 mount the rails 60y on the side plates 55.

The lower ends of the cables 61 are anchored to a cross bar 63y secured to the side plates 55. The upper end portions of the cables 61 pass over a supporting plate 64 and are connected with spring devices 65. These spring devices 65 keep the cables 61 taut yet permit downward yielding of said cables under any abnormal pressure from cans which might otherwise choke the chute outlet 59. IFor illustrative purposes, the spring devices 65 are shown in the form of coiled tension springs secured at one end to the cables 61 and anchored at their other ends to two `of the rail brackets 62.

Inclined but substantially vertical belts 66 are provided to confine and guide the cans and to aid in causing orderly rolling thereof through the outlet 59 to the customary roll-away conveyor or the like. A portion of such a conveyor is shown at 67 in FIGURE 4. The belts 66 are trained around pulleys 68 on upper and lower transverse shafts 69 and 70 which are so located that the downwardly travelling inner reaches 66a of said belts downwardly converge with the trackway 60, 61. The shafts 69 and 70 are mounted in suitable bearings 71 on elements 72 and 73 of the side frames 16, and the shaft 69 is belt-connected at 74 to an electric motor 75.

To dislodge any kcans which may have become canted and thus caught in any package wrapper being emptied, an extractor 76 is mounted in lixed guide means 77 over the outlet 59 of the chute 54, as seen in FIGURES l, 2, 6 and 7. Operational positions of this extractor are illustrated in FIGURES 8 to l2. When the leading wall of a wrapper W being emptied slightly passes the then lowered extractor 76, this extractor is moved up into the wrapper as seen in FIGURE 9, for example. The extractor 76 remains in this position until the trailing wall of the wrapper W almost reaches said extractor as seen in FIG- URE l0, at which time said extractor is again lowered. These movements assure that none of the cans C shall remain in the wrappers W and interfere with pulling of the latter from the machine by the pinch rolls 49 and 5t).

-Also, loosening movements imparted to any canswhich come into contact with the extractor 76, causes similar movements of following contacting cans and facilitates their discharge from the wrapper. If, toward the end of any wrapper emptying operation, one or more cans should be more or less in contact with the extractor 76,

they will be pulled out of the wrapper during descent of the extractor. For this purpose, the upper end of the extractor has a suitable can engaging lug 78.

A cylinder and piston assembly 79 is provided for operating the extractor 76. The piston rod 8f!I of this assembly is provided with a lateral arm 81 secured to the lower end of the extractor.

Admission of fluid to and exhaust of fluid from the ends of the cylinder 82 of assembly 79 is controlled automatically to etfect the required ascent and descent of the extractor 76. In FIGURE 13, a valve 83 has been diagrammatically shown normally biased by a spring 84 to a lowered position, in which it admits iluid to the upper end of the cylinder 82. A solenoid coil 85 is shown to lift the valve 83 to a position in which it will admit fluid tothe lower end of the cylinder S2. The valve also includes any suitable provision for opening the lower end of the cylinder to exhaust when iluid is admitted to the upper end of said cylinder and vice versa, as common with numerous known valves applicable to the purpose.

For completing and breaking the circuit of the coil 85 as required, said circuit is provided with two switches 86 and 87 which are diagrammatically illustrated in FIG- URES 2, l1, l2 and 13. Supporting brackets 88 have been shown for these switches.

Each switch 86 and 87 has an actuating arm 89 which is spring or gravity biased to a pendent switch open position as shown in FIGURE 13. Both of these arms 89 are in the path of the .upper end of the package wrappers W and when either arm is swung to the left by the wrapper, it closes its respective switch. When both switches 86 and 87 have been thus closed, the circuit of the coil 85 is complete and this coil then functions to lift the valve 83 and cause raising of the extractor 76 into the travelling wrapper being emptied of cans Aas seen in FIGURE l1. As soon as the Varm 89 of switch 86 is released by the wrapper, as shown in 'FIGURE 12, it drops and opens said switch 86, thus breaking the circuit of the coil 85 and allowing the valve 83 to descend and eifect lowering of the extractor 76 to normal position. When the arm 89 of switch S7 is released by the Wrapper, it drops and opens said switch 87. Both switches are then in open position in readiness for closing by the next wrapper.

Op eration cables 61. Any cans which may become lodged in their wrappers will be loosened by the extractor 76 and caused to descend, and the fully emptied wrappers are. then pulled from the machine and coilapsed by the pinch rolls 49 and 50.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous construction has been disclosed for attaining the desired ends. However, attention is invited to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention as claimed.

We claim: y

1. In a machine in which packages of cans are uninterruptedly advanced over a package bottom removing means and then over a can receiver into which the cans drop by gravity and wherein each package includes a flexible wrapper; empty wrapper ejectiug means to which the emptied package wrappers are advanced, can extracting means mounted to move upwardly into and downwardly from each moving emptied wrapper las it eP- proaches said wrapper ejecting means, thereby removing any can which may have lodged in the iiexible wrapper, and means for raising and lowering said can extracting means during the movement of the wrapper.

2. A structure as specied in claim 1, in which said raising and lowering means includes control means in the path of and actuated by the empty wrappers.

3. In a Imachine in which packages of cans `are uninterruptedly advanced over a package bottom removing means and then over a receiver into which the cans drop by gravity and wherein each package include-s a ilexible Wrapper; a normally lowered can extractor mounted for upward movement into each package wrapper being emptied to assure the removal of all cans from the flexible wrapper, and means for raising said extractor into the advancing package wrapper when the leading wall of the wrapper has passed the path of said extractor and for again lowering said extractor before the trailing wall of the advancing wrapper reaches the raised extractor.

4. A structure as specied in claim 3, in which said extractor is a vertically elongated bar having a can engaging lug at its upper end.

5. A structure as specified in claim 3, in which said raising and lowering means for said extractor comprises a vertical cylinder and piston -assembly having a piston rod connected to said extractor, valve means for admitting liuid to and exhausting it from the cylinder of said assembly, and actuating means for said valve including switch means, said switch means having actuating means in the path of the advancing opened wrappers.

6. In a can delivery means, a declined can chute `to receive cans from a hopper, said chute having parallel vertical Walls to oppose the can ends, a declined trackway down which the cans roll between said side walls, said trackway including exible can supporting cables at the lower end portion of said trackway, means anchoring one end of said cables, spring means yieldably anchoring the other ends of said cables, and substantially vertical can coniining and guiding means spaced upwardly from the lower ends of said cables to provide a can outlet for the chute, said spring means being effective to normally keep said cables tight and to permit downward yielding thereof under abnormal pressure from the cans.

7. A structure as specified in claim 6, in which said substantially vertical can confining and guiding means comprises a driven belt having a downwardly travelling can engaging reach, said trackway and said can engaging reach being in converging relation and terminating at said can outlet.

8. A structure las defined in claim 5 wherein the valve means comprises a slide valve which is one position directs fluid into one end of the cylinder and in another position directs iluid into the opposite end of the cylinder, and wherein said actuating means includes a solenoid operable to shift the valve slide to one said position and controlled by said switch means,

9. A structure as defined in claim 5 wherein the valve means comprises a slide valve which in one position directs fluid into one end of the cylinder and in another position directs fluid into the opposite end of the cylinder, and wherein said actuating means includes a solenoid operable to shift the valve slide to one said position and controlled by said switch means, and said switch means comprises a pair of control switch units placed to be sequentially actuated by an advancing wrapper land connected in series with said solenoid.

l0. In a machine in which packages of cans are emptied by moving a bottomless flexible wrapper iilled with cans over yan open area, can extracting means for engagement with cans while the cans and wrapper are moving to assure the emptying of the exible wrapper, said can extracting means including a vertically disposed flat blade like extractor, and mounting means mounting said extractor for movement upwardly into a moving wrapper after the wrapper has reached a can discharging position and movement downwardly out of a moving wrapper as a trailing portion of the moving wrapper approaches said extractor.

11. A structure as specified in claim 10 wherein said extractor has a downwardly facing can engaging lug at its upper end.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,376,798 Courtney May 3, y1921 1,677,179 Gopel July 17, 1928 1,879,944 Muth Sept. 27, 193,2

2,648,450 Neal Aug. 1l, 1953 2,718,319 Jones et al. Sept. 20, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,040,458 Germany Oct. 2, 1958 

